The Beards (Australian band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 in Adelaide, Australia |
| Defunct | October 2016 (ceased activities) |
| Fate | Disbanded; reunited in 2025 for reunion tour |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Beards were an Australian comedy folk rock group formed in 2005 in Adelaide and ceased activities in October 2016. Their songs predominantly revolve around the subject of beards. The band evolved from the four-member rock ensemble the Dairy Brothers, which began in 2003. In 2025, The Beards reunited for the Byron Bay Bluesfest and embarked on a nationwide reunion tour.[1][2][3]
2003–2007: The Dairy Brothers
Originating in 2003, the Dairy Brothers were a four-piece rock band based in Adelaide that performed regularly at local pubs and clubs. The lineup consisted of Tom Bettany (bass keytar, vocals), Michael Bidstrup (drums), Joshua Fielder (guitar), and Joel McMillan (vocals, keyboard). They produced two EPs during their tenure: Full Cream Ahead (2004) and Got Rock? (February 2007).
Andrew Crosbie from MediaSearch commended their December 2006 show in Melbourne, highlighting their witty lyrics reminiscent of Tenacious D, energetic piano playing similar to early Ben Folds, and guitar work influenced by thirty years of rock history, resulting in an entertaining and spirited performance.[4]
2005–2009: Formation and initial phase
In 2005, Bettany, Bidstrup, Fielder, and McMillan established The Beards in Adelaide initially for a single performance. Their debut album, The Beards, released in July 2007, helped them cultivate a dedicated fanbase. They appeared at Adelaide's Big Day Out festivals in both 2008 and 2009 but largely maintained a local presence.
Their sophomore album, Beards Beards Beards, came out in 2009 alongside the music video "If Your Dad Doesn't Have a Beard, You've Got Two Mums," which boosted their online visibility and was broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation program rage. That year also saw them perform at the opening ceremony of the World Beard & Moustache Championships held in Alaska before undertaking their inaugural Australian tour.
2009–2016: Extensive touring and further albums
Throughout this period, The Beards toured widely across Australia and released their third album titled Having a Beard is the New Not Having a Beard. Accompanying videos for tracks such as "Got Me a Beard," "Beard Accessory Store," and "You Should Consider Having Sex With a Bearded Man" were produced; notably, the latter ranked number 99 on Triple J's Top 100 list for 2011.
In 2012, "You Should Consider Having Sex with a Bearded Man" earned an APRA Award nomination for Song of the Year, while their third album was shortlisted for an ARIA Award under Best Comedy Album.
By 2013, The Beards expanded their reach into North America with appearances at SXSW and Canadian Music Week along with showcases in Los Angeles, Houston, New York City, and Toronto. Returning to Australia for Bluesfest Byron Bay preceded their First World Tour, which took them through the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and the UK including a performance at the Bearded Theory Festival.
The early months of 2014 featured the Euro-Bout To Grow A Beard Tour covering countries such as Britain, Denmark, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland. Their concert in Cologne was recorded for Rockpalast. On 9 May 2014, they released their fourth studio effort titled The Beard Album, coinciding with an Australian tour followed by European dates.
In July 2015, they unveiled the video for "Strokin' My Beard", which incorporated footage captured by fans during tours. Celebrating their decade-long career, The Beards issued a double-disc compilation/live album named Ten Long Years, One Long Beard featuring unreleased material and live tracks. A single sharing the same title accompanied this release along with its video.
The group's Ten Long Years anniversary tour commenced in September 2015 across Europe—visiting Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK—before wrapping up back home in Australia.
In 2016, The Beards declared an end to live touring activities. Their Farewell Tour began in February and culminated with a final show on 28 October at The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel in Adelaide. Reflecting on their journey from their origins as The Dairy Brothers to over ten years as The Beards, Bettany acknowledged that their career had surpassed initial expectations.
2025: Bluesfest Reunion Announcement
In September 2024, the group revealed plans to reunite for the concluding Byron Bay Bluesfest event in 2025. By April 2025, they had confirmed a brief tour consisting of four performances slated for August.
Band Members
- Johann Beardraven (Joel McMillan) – lead vocals, keyboards, keytar, saxophone
- John Beardman, Jr. (Michael Bidstrup) – drums
- Nathaniel Beard (Tom Bettany) – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Facey McStubblington (Joshua Fielder) – guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals
Studio Albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| The Beards |
|
— |
| Beards, Beards, Beards |
|
— |
| Having a Beard is the New Not Having a Beard |
|
63 |
| The Beard Album |
|
30 |
Compilation Albums
| Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| Ten Long Years, One Long Beard |
|
| The Final Show |
|
Singles
| Song Title | Release Year | Associated Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Growing a Beard" | 2007 | The Beards |
| "If Your Dad Doesn't Have a Beard, You've Got Two Mums" | 2009 | Beards, Beards, Beards |
| "You Should Consider Having Sex with a Bearded Man" | 2011 | Having A Beard Is the New Not Having a Beard |
| "I'm in the Mood... For Beards" | 2012 | |
| "Got Me A Beard" | ||
| "All the Bearded Ladies" | 2014 | The Beard Album |
| "Stroking My Beard" | 2015 | |
| "I'm Growing a Beard Downstairs for Christmas" (featuring Kate Miller-Heidke) | non album single |
APRA Music Awards
The APRA Awards annually celebrate achievements in songwriting, sales, and radio airplay across Australia and New Zealand.
|- | 2012 | You Should Consider Having Sex with a Bearded Man | Song of the Year | |-
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards recognize outstanding accomplishments and creativity within Australian music each year. The band earned three nominations in total.
! |- | 2012 | Having a Beard Is the New Not Having a Beard | rowspan="3" | Best Comedy Release | | rowspan="3"| [5] |- | 2014 | The Beards Album | |- | 2016 | "I'm Growing a Beard Downstairs for Christmas" |
Fowler's Live Music Awards
Between 2012 and 2014, the Fowler's Live Music Awards honoured outstanding contributions within South Australia's live music community. This event has since evolved into what is now known as the South Australian Music Awards.
|- | 2012 | "You Should Consider Having Sex with a Bearded Man" | Best Video | |- | 2013 | rowspan="2" | The Beards | rowspan="2" | Best Pop Artist | |- | 2014 | |-
National Live Music Awards
Founded in 2016, the National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) acknowledge excellence across Australia's live music sector.
|- | 2016 | Johann Beardraven (The Beards) | Live Instrumentalist of the Year |
References
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:1 - ↑ "THE BEARDS – The Beards official website". 2025-04-17. Archived from the original on 2025-04-17. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
- ↑ Crosbie, Andrew (December 2006). Carmine Pascuzzi (ed.). "The Dairy Brothers – The Green Room, Melbourne". MediaSearch. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ↑ "ARIA Awards Best Comedy Release". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 17 April 2022.